Back to Where We Lasted
by Lamourxxdivine
Summary: Puppylove and a night of red-hot passion led to 18 yr old Brooke getting pregnant, causing her to run away and start a new life as a single mom. But what happens when her 16 year old daughter wants to find out more about the life mom left behind? BRUCAS
1. A Change of Plans

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of the characters!**

**Intro:** Okay so the summary pretty much tells you all you need to know... Brooke got pregnant at the age of 18. Scared and confused, she ran away from Tree Hill shortly after graduation, to New York, where she made her way through college as a single mom. She's now 34 and an extremely successful fashion designer. Her daughter, Sophie, is 16.

"Brooke, how many times do I have to tell you?" My assistant, Millicent, demands impatiently. "Don't worry about a thing. I'll make sure everything runs smoothly while you're gone. Just go and have fun and relax. And do NOT think about work, not for a second."

With that, she takes me by the arm and leads me through the office and out the door. I smile at her and give her a warm hug.

"Thanks, Mil. I know my baby's in good hands." Of course, Clothes Over Bros is only my second baby. First is Sophie, who is not just my daughter but my best friend. And with whom I'm taking a very relaxing mother-daughter trip to Hawaii for a whole week. Boy do I need this break.

The only thing on my mind during the drive home from the office is beautiful beaches, delicious cocktails, and relaxing spa treatments.

"Soph?" I call out as soon as I open the front door of the house. She skips down the stairs and plants a light kiss on my cheek.

"Hey mom!" Well someone's clearly excited about the trip.

"Are you done packing??" I ask, even though I myself haven't even started; our flight is early tomorrow morning.

"Yup," she smiles at me coyly then, and I know that smile. She's up to something. I used to get that same smug smile in high school when I was busy stirring up trouble. And I did a whole lot of that.

"What?" I ask her, and she pulls me into the living room and urges me to sit down.

"Well...there's been a change of plans," she says as she hands me a small white envelope.

I look down at it, then back up at her. "What?" I'm stunned. A change of plans?

"Instead of going to Hawaii, I thought maybe we should go to Tree Hill," her prominent dimples frame her beautiful smile, but I feel the anger boiling inside of me.

"Tree Hill?"

"Yeah. You know how I've been asking you all about your life in North Carolina, and... dad," the last word is barely audible. I look at her incredulously.

"When did you do this?" I open the envelope now and slowly slip out two plane tickets. The flight is scheduled for tomorrow, at almost the same time as our flight to Hawaii would have been.

"This morning. Peyton took me down to the travel agency and helped me swap the Hawaii tickets for these."

I narrow my eyes. Peyton. Lovely how my best friend is now backing up my daughter instead of me. I'm going to have a long chat with her. As if reading my mind, Sophie plops down next to me and takes my hand.

"Mom, don't get mad at Peyton. I mean, you both know how curious I am about my father. And she told me I deserve to meet him, and that I'd absolutely love him, and..."

I gently squeeze her hand and cut her off. "I'm not mad. I'm just...surprised. But if this is what you really want, I guess you're old enough to handle it."

She attacks me with a huge, rib crushing hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! We are going to have SO much fun. And I promise, I'll make it up to you."

Yeah. Fun. Going back to Tree Hill and facing all the things I ran from sixteen years ago. All the people I ran from. Well, one person in particular. Wow, I really must love this kid, because a tropical sunset and pina coladas are sounding so much better than going back to North Carolina right now. There's a reason why I left so many years ago. I've tried to explain it to her many times before, but at this point all she wants is to know more about her father. I can't blame her, really. I hadn't even shown her pictures, but Peyton brought over the scrapbook we made during our senior year, and Sophie stole a picture of me and Lucas at the Naley wedding. Just a few months before she was conceived. Strange how, in a matter of minutes, your entire life can change forever.

Of course, I'm more than grateful for having Sophie in my life. She _is_ my life. But looking through that scrapbook, I couldn't help but shake the questions; how would my life be different now if I hadn't gotten pregnant then? Or, what if I had stayed in Tree Hill and raised Sophie there? Well for one thing, I wouldn't have Clothes Over Bros. And I can't even try to imagine Sophie as a small-town girl. She loves the city, and it suits her.

Suddenly, she snaps me out of my thoughts with the question I'd been dreading. "So, have you started packing? Like, at all?"

Ugh. I force myself to get up, pulling her up with me. Packing doesn't sound so bad after all, compared to what I'll have to face come tomorrow.

**AN:** So, what do you think?? I'd love some feedback! I tried a different Brucas story but I really wasn't feeling it so I ended up deleting it. But what do you guys think about this? I got the idea randomly a few days ago. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading more!


	2. First Stop

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of the characters!**

I take a deep breath as I look over at Sophie, who pushes the doorbell eagerly. I have no idea whether or not Lucas still lives here, where he used to live with Karen, but it was the only place I could think of to find him. Of course the first thing Sophie wanted to do the minute we landed was to see him; no matter how much I tried to distract her, talk her out of it, it did no good. For all I know, he may be gone from Tree Hill for good, even though that's hard to imagine. He loved this place, though I can never understand why. I mean sure, our highschool days were amazing; but what could he possibly have left here? I know he had plans to stay in North Carolina for college, but surely he must have moved on and started a new life somewhere else, right? Boy, is this gonna be awkward.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts the minute the door opens, and a beautiful woman with long, light brown hair and sparkling blue eyes looks at Sophie, then at me. As soon as her eyes meet mine, they widen.

"Brooke Davis?" Clearly she wasn't expecting to see me on her doorstep like this. "As in, Brooke Davis of Clothes Over Bros?"

I nod, unable to form any words. I guess Lucas really _did_ leave here after all.

"Wow. I love your line, my closet is full of your stuff!" She gushes, and I can feel Sophie's growing disappointment and now impatience without even having to look at her face.

"Thank you, I'm flattered," I manage to say, faking a smile. "I'm sorry, we must have got the wrong house. I was looking for a highschool friend, Lucas Scott. He used to live here and..."

Her eyes widen even more and she cuts me off. "Oh, Luc isn't home right now but he should be back in just a few hours. Please, come in."

It takes more than a moment for me to register this. So he _does_ live here? I stand there, stiff and confused, and Sophie is quiet beside me.

"I'm sorry, you must think I'm so rude. I'm Lindsey," the woman extends her hand out to me now and I take it hesitantly.

"This is my daughter, Sophie," I motion over to Sophie, who is still dead silent, but somehow manages to shake Lindsey's hand.

"Imagine that. Lucas is such a jerk, he knows how much I adore your line and yet he somehow failed to mention that you just happen to be a highschool friend of his. Amazing," Lindsey rants before inviting us in once again. This time, I speak up.

"Thank you, but maybe we should just stop by again later? I still want to give Sophie the grand tour of Tree Hill and all," I say and Lindsey nods.

"Oh, definitely. I'm sure Lucas would be thrilled to see you both."

Hmm. Thrilled? That sure is a creative word to describe it. Once we're back in the car, Sophie explodes.

"Never even mentioned you?!"

I wince at her words. "Sweetheart, sometimes it's easier for people just to forget. I warned you, this might not have been the best idea."

She shakes her head. "No. We're coming back and talking to him. I have to." She pauses and looks at me. "Maybe she was just a friend?"

"Hm, judging by the size of that rock on her finger, I'd say they might be a bit more than friends," I hear the sarcasm in my tone, but shake it off immediately. I sneak a sideways glance at Sophie to see if she noticed it too. "I'm sorry if you're a little disappointed honey. But people move on. What did you expect, Lucas sitting there and waiting for me? For us?"

She just stares out the window. I decide to move on to a lighter subject.

"So, you hungry? Even flying first class, I can't bring myself to enjoy airplane food. Let's grab a bite to eat."

"Yeah," her voice sounds brighter, if only a little bit. "Peyton actually told me about this one place, Karen's Cafe? She said to be sure to eat there. She said it was your favorite."

I narrow my eyes but stare straight ahead as I drive. Peyton, that little weasel. She knows that Sophie has no idea who Karen is, but she's practically encouraging her to meet her. I have to remember to have a long chat with Peyton when we get back to New York. I begin to protest, but Sophie just looks at me skeptically. Oh, what more do I have to lose? If I can fly all the way out to Tree Hill, AND go knocking on Lucas Scott's door, surely I can take my daughter over to Karen's Cafe for a burger. We pull up in the parking lot and walk in. Other than an older couple sitting at the far end, the cafe is empty. And just the way I remember it.

Karen looks up at us from behind the counter and drops the towel she was folding. She takes one look at Sophie, and I know she knows. Although she inherited her dark hair, pretty smile and deep dimples from me, Sophie clearly has Lucas' gorgeous blue eyes and his contagious laugh. Not that she's laughing now. She looks at Karen, totally oblivious. Just then, her cell phone rings. She pulls it out of her purse.

"I'll be right back," she says to me and hurries out the door to talk to her friend. Karen stares at me with tears in her eyes.

"Hi," I say quietly, barely choking out the word.

**AN: **So what do you guys think? I pretty much have the next couple of chapters planned out, it just needs a little bit of tweaking, so expect another update soon. Please review! Thank you!

Oh and on a side note, I know I've already mentioned Peyton a few times. Her and Brooke pretty much remained best friends even after Brooke left NC, and now she's living in NY too. There was never any Leyton romance/drama.


	3. Reality Check

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or these characters!**

"Hi," I say quietly, barely choking out the word.

Karen stares at me with a look of disbelief. She blinks back tears, but they start to roll down her cheeks. I can clearly see the anger and pain in her eyes, and I instantly regret coming in here like this.

"How dare you?" She asks me, her voice low and shaky. "How dare you be so selfish?"

I can feel the slow burning at the back of my throat, but I tell myself to keep my head high and stand my ground; if anything, do NOT cry.

"Karen, I..." I try to justify myself, but I'm quick to realize that I don't have anything to say at this point. Looking at her, so full of hurt, I just want her to hold me in her arms the way she did in highschool when my own parents abandoned me and she took me in, let me stay with her and Lucas. So many times, she has comforted me and given me advice and kept my secrets. Suddenly, standing in this cafe and looking at the woman who I looked up to in so many ways for her amazing grace, dignity, and strength, I find myself wanting to go back. Back to that time in highschool where everything was so much simpler, and I was surrounded by the people I truly loved; my life now seems so far removed from all of that. The only people in my life that I can really trust are Sophie and Peyton. Gone are the relationships I once had with Haley, Nathan, Mouth, Karen, Rachel, and most importantly, Lucas. How could I show my face in this town now? Did I really expect to be welcomed with open arms?

"Do you have any idea what you have put Lucas through? How much your leaving affected him?"

"Karen, it was a long time ago," my voice comes out in barely a whisper. I don't even recognize it as my own.

"Sixteen years. Sixteen long years of sleepless nights for Lucas," her tone is steady now, harsh and bitter. "Sixteen years of him wondering about his son or daughter, who is living without a father somewhere in the world. Sixteen years of him missing you, and loving you, even long after he finally gave up trying to track you down. You didn't even say _goodbye_, Brooke."

I close my eyes and see that day clearly in my head. It was the day after I told Lucas I was pregnant, just a week after I had found out, a week after our highschool graduation. He took the news surprisingly well, actually. But I tossed and turned all night until I finally decided what I needed to do. The next morning, I took the earliest flight out to New York. I called Peyton, who ended up moving in and going to NYU with me. But I turned off my cell phone and made sure my name wasn't listed in any address books. I made it virtually impossible for Lucas to get in touch with me. After a few years, when Clothes Over Bros really started taking off, he must have seen me all over magazines and on TV, but he still had no way of reaching me. I'll admit, it was cruel, but it was what I thought was right at the time; it seemed like it would be best for all of us that way. Surely, since Sophie's birth, I've had my doubts.

I open my eyes and look at Karen, and now I feel the tears I was trying so hard to hold back. "I was scared. I was young, and jaded and just so scared of becoming a mom. You need to understand, Karen. You went through it too. You need to understand what was going through my mind."

"Yes, except I didn't have a CHOICE," Karen raises her voice now, and I suddenly realize that the older couple left sometime during this conversation and we are now the only two people here. "I was LEFT to raise a kid on my own. I didn't have a man who loved me, like you did. A man who promised to help me through it and care for me unconditionally. YOU DID. I don't think I'll ever be able to understand why you would run from that."

I look at the floor and rub my temples in a weak effort to compose myself. I'm absolutely speechless, and afraid of looking Karen in the eye again.

"Since you left, it's like all we have left of Lucas is an outer shell. He just seemed so hollow and lifeless, going through the motions of school and work but never really LIVING anymore. It wasn't the Lucas we knew, not even close," I can feel her eyes searching me but I continue to look at the floor. I feel that familiar pang of guilt that I felt every time I thought about Lucas throughout the past sixteen years. "But now, he's finally happy. Of course, he'll never be the Lucas I loved, the Lucas _you_ loved. But he's happier. He has Lindsey, and she's good for him and they're in love. Don't be so selfish as to take THAT away from him too, with this little visit of yours."

I force myself to look up at her, and I know I must look like a total emotional wreck. My eyes are burning from the tears I tried so hard to hold in, which are now flowing freely down my cheek. I know my mascara is running down my face, but I could care less. I feel a heaviness in my chest that's making it hard to breathe. I open my mouth to say something, anything. Anything that will make this go away, that'll bring back the old Karen who can help me through this and tell me what I should do. But nothing comes out. The silence is unsettling, so I turn and walk out the door as fast as I can.

Once outside, I don't even look for Sophie. I go straight to my car, open the door, and settle into the driver's seat. I lean forward slightly and my hands grip the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turn white. Then I hear it. The loud, uncontrollable sobbing that is somehow coming out of my numb body. I somehow manage to drag my right hand up to my mouth, covering it, but I'm still shaking and the tears continue to fall.

For so long, I had been distracting myself with my clothing line and just being a good mother and friend to Sophie, anything to keep my mind from dwelling too much over the past. But talking to Karen just now was probably the biggest, most painful reality check I've ever gotten in my life. What made me think I could handle facing all of this? I am officially way in over my head, and I just want to run back to New York like the same scaredy cat I was sixteen years ago, curl up into a ball and hide from the rest of the world.

**AN: **And so the trip begins! Hope you guys are enjoying, please review! Chapter 4 is coming up sooner than soon, if I know enough people are reading!


	4. Moment of Truth

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of these characters! Also, the dialogue in italics comes from a Season 3 episode, I did NOT write that!**

**AN: **Thank you so much for the reviews! Just a note, this story will include some flashbacks, so clearly I'm sticking with SOME parts of the real OTH plot, except for Brooke ever being with Felix or Chase, it was always Lucas. And again, no Leyton/Brucas love triangle! And as I said in the disclaimer, the flashback (in italics) is dialogue from a real episode, it's NOT my writing!

It's not until I finally get a hold of myself and stop crying that I notice Sophie had quietly slipped into the passenger's seat sometime during my breakdown. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and, not for the first time, it feels like _I'm_ the teenager and _she's_ mothering _me_. I rest my head on her chest, feeling drained and embarrassed. I'm such a mess. We sit there in silence for about ten minutes, then I finally start the car and get back on the road, heading towards the inn we'll be staying at.

"Mom, what happened back there?" She looks at me intently but I keep my eyes on the car in front of me.

"This is just harder than I thought it would be, that's all," I sigh. "Would it be so terrible if I got on the first plane out of here and left you to face your father alone?"

"Mom."

What a coward. I bet that's exactly what Sophie's thinking right now too. My mom the coward, can't even face the man she loved. The man she never exactly fell _out_ of love with. But I'm not sure how many more blows I can take. Talking to Karen was harder than I ever could have imagined; I don't even know what to expect from Lucas.

We get to the inn, check into our room, and drop off our bags. Sophie goes into the bathroom to freshen up and I slip out onto the balcony. From it, I can see the Rivercourt. And all too soon, the memories start flooding in.

_"This is my world, Brooke," Lucas says to me and laughs. "Or at least it used to be."_

_"I HAVE been here before, you know," I smile at him softly._

_"I know... I just never told you what this place means to me. It's not just a court. It's where I come from, it's where I belong. It's my world."_

_"So do I get to be a part of this world?" I ask sweetly._

_"The biggest part." He looks at me, and I feel like my heart is about to burst. Is it possible to love someone this much? We share a quick kiss, and then I take a seat next to Mouth and watch Lucas shoot around with his friends, his words ringing in my ears. _

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when my cell phone rings. I roll my eyes, expecting it to be something work-related, but am surprised to see it's Peyton calling.

"Hey B. Davis!" Peyton's voice is loud and cheerful, and I remember just how angry I am with her. "How's the trip going?!"

"Don't hey B. Davis me! You totally set us up with the whole Karen's Cafe thing!"

"So what, you know you had to go there sometime during the week. Better to get it out of the way. Did Sophie get to meet grandma?"

"No, she didn't. Probably because I stormed out of there before she could get the chance," I wince at the memory. "Peyton, I can't do this. I can't see Lucas."

"Of course you can," her voice softens on the other end and I suddenly feel more at ease, comforted. "He loves you, Brooke. I mean, yeah, it's gonna be uncomfortable and awkward for the three of you at first but once he gets over the shock he's gonna look into your eyes and remember the girl he loved. And he'll forgive you, I know it."

I look back over at the Rivercourt. Peyton's right. Although I'm not sure how eager he'll be to forgive me, I do know that I owe this to him and to Sophie after keeping them apart for so many years. I can't back out now. I am NOT a coward. I tell Peyton I'll call her later with the details and we hang up. As if on cue, Sophie setps out onto the balcony and leans on the railing next to me.

"Mom, if you really don't want to go, we can just..." She starts to say but I cut her off and point to the basketball court.

"That over there's the Rivercourt. That place meant the world to Lucas. I never really understood it, I just saw it as just another basketball court, you know? Then one day he took me out there with him and really explained what it meant to him. And listening to him share something so precious with me, it just took my breath away," I smile sadly.

"You guys were really in love, huh?" Sophie smiles at me.

I nod, but change subjects swiftly to avoid crying again. "Okay kiddo, how about we order some room service, and then once we're done eating we can try Lucas' house again?"

Sophie smiles even wider now, and attacks me with a huge bear hug. I hold her tightly, and I know I'm making the right choice by not running away this time. As difficult as it is for me, I need to look past that and think only of her.

We go back into our room and order room service. After our quick meal, just as it's starting to get dark, we get ready and drive back over to Lucas' house. Neither of us says much during the drive, and I can tell that Sophie is finally beginning to feel a little nervous too.

The front door opens the second she lifts her finger from the doorbell, and I suddenly feel lightheaded. My stomach twists in knots and my heart flutters. My mouth is dry. I struggle to find the words I've been rehearsing in my head all day.

"Brooke," he breaks the silence before I get a chance, his eyes locking with mine. The eye contact is impossible to bear, but for some reason I can't look away. He looks just like he did sixteen years ago, only older. His dirty blond hair is ruffled, and I instantly notice that his beautiful blue eyes are missing the sparkle they used to hold. They seem sad. That all too familiar pang of guilt hits me again.

Hearing him say my name after so long sends chills through my body. I just want to wrap my arms around his neck and tell him how much I've missed him, how lonely I've been, and how I've thought about him every single day for the past sixteen years. I want him to look down at me with that adorable half-smile and call me Pretty Girl and hold me with no intentions of ever letting go.

Instead, I break away from his intense stare and motion to Sophie. "Lucas. This is Sophie. Our daughter."

**AN: **Here it is, the moment we've been waiting for! Check back for chapter 5 soon! And leave me reviews, I love reading them. Thanks!


	5. The Visit

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of the characters. And again, the flashback in italics was taken from a real episode from Season Two, the dialogue was not written by me!**

I look at Lucas carefully as his eyes shift from myself over to Sophie, who just stands there stunned. I take note of his blue eyes, which seem to cloud over with sadness rather than anger as he takes in Sophie's beautiful face. I'm half expecting him to start yelling, but most of me thinks he's about to cry. He does neither. He just stands, looking at her for a long time. I muster up the courage to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Can we come in?" I ask meekly, trying my hardest not to sound rude; the awkwardness was killing me.

Lucas snaps out of the daze and looks back at me. "Of course, sorry," he says as he steps aside, holding the front door open. I nudge Sophie forward, and follow closely behind.

Sophie and I settle down on the huge, comfortable couch in the living room. Lucas takes a seat on the sofa facing us. Finally, he speaks up and I'm reminded just how much I've always admired his love of words. Everything he says always sounds so graceful.

"You have no idea how nice it is to meet you," he chokes on the words, and I see the tears building up in his eyes now. Sophie's tears are already falling freely down her cheeks, and I'm so moved that I know I'll break within the next few moments. I watch as Sophie gets up suddenly and plops down next to Lucas. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her in closer, and she buries her head into his chest. He closes his eyes, and I'm grateful for that; he can't see me breaking down here. I look at them for another second before getting up and walking over into the kitchen.

I need water, coffee. Hell, I need something a lot stronger than that. That one moment of looking at the two of them, father and daughter, holding each other after so many years... it was more than I could take. If this were a movie, I'd laugh at how corny it was. But it truly was probably one of the most moving moments I've ever experienced, second only to Sophie's birth. Also, it made me even angrier with myself. I feel like such a monster for keeping them apart for as long as I have. And I wouldn't have even brought her here now if it wasn't for her and Peyton pushing me. I can be such a selfish bitch; the realization makes me cry even harder now. I lean back against the counter, and cover my mouth with my hand to avoid sobbing as the tears roll down my cheeks with no intentions of stopping.

I finally pull myself together long enough to help myself to an ice cold cup of water. After a long sip, I stare at the kitchen floor, lost in my thoughts. And again the memories start playing in my head. This house sure holds a lot of those.

_Lucas and I are walking down the street after learning about my parent's spur of the moment decision to move away from Tree Hill. I can't stand the thought of not being with Lucas anymore, but we're trying to keep the conversation light to avoid me crying again. _

_"So what're you gonna miss most about me?" I ask him, teasing only slightly._

_"I can only choose one thing?"_

_"Yes, and it has to be something good," I say with a smile. "Not how much you'll miss hanging out with me or how hot I am."_

_We come to a stop in front of his house. "Hmm, neither one of those huh?" He looks at me intently._

_"No."_

_"Damn," he snaps his fingers but smiles after a moment. "I'd miss the girl behind the red door."_

_With that, he points to the newly painted red door that we are now standing in front of, the back door to his bedroom. I look back at him, but he's already opening the door and leading me into his room. In it is all my stuff, set up perfectly._

_"This is all my stuff," I mumble. "I don't understand."_

_"I had my mom talk to your parents and they said you could stay here til the summer."_

_I'm still in utter shock. "You did this for me?"_

_Lucas takes a deep breath and shrugs. "I wasn't ready to lose you yet."_

That same voice pulls me from my thoughts abruptly and sets me back down into reality.

"She's so amazing," he says quietly. I look up at him, afraid of the yelling that I've come to expect now.

"Luke, before you say anything, I'm sorry," my voice is raspier than usual, and I know he can tell how much I've been crying. Without realizing, I spent the past hour and a half in this kitchen while Lucas and Sophie talked in the other room about everything and nothing. "I know it was wrong, but I was so young and scared."

"Scared of what? I would have been right by your side every step of the way, Brooke." His voice is surprisingly even and calm, not angry.

"That's exactly it. Not only was I scared of being a mom, but...I was scared of how you made me feel. Lucas, I was in love with you. Deeply, truly in love. And that scared the shit out of me. And I didn't know what a baby would do to us. So I ran, blindly. I was SO stupid."

"Don't ever call yourself stupid," he takes a step closer to me. "I spent so many years blaming myself. And then another number of years blaming you. Then after a while, all I felt was...nothingness. I was never ready to lose you, Brooke. I wasn't alive without you, I didn't know how to be. I didn't want to be."

I close my eyes and feel a sharp pain in my chest. The feeling of his hand taking mine now causes my eyes to flutter open, and I notice that he's much closer. I'm finding it increasingly harder to breathe.

"But the minute I looked at you out there today, I felt like this big void had been filled inside of me. And now, between looking at you and talking to Sophie, I just feel so... peaceful. It's like you brought a piece of my heart back with you. The biggest piece."

I fight the urge to kiss him; the temptation is too strong now. I blush and look down at the floor, but his hand continues to brush mine gently.

"Stay here tonight. Lindsey left for her business trip, she won't be back for a few days. I'd want nothing more than for you and Sophie to stay here with me," his eyes look deep into my soul, and I know he sees me in a way no one else ever has. "Please. We have a lot to catch up on."

I just nod, still unable to form audible words. His breath smells strongly of peppermint, and I take a step back to stop myself from doing something I'll regret. For Pete's sake, he's engaged. As if reading my thoughts, he adds, "You guys can take my mom's old room."

I nod again and hurry out of the kitchen back to the living room, where Sophie is sitting.

"Mom, can we? Please??" Little weasel, listening in on our conversation.

"Just for tonight, okay?" I smile weakly and kiss her on the forehead.

Her tears are all gone now, and a little smile creeps across her face slowly.

"Whatever you say."

**AN: **Aw, I liked writing this chapter. Hopefully you guys liked it too! Leave me some reviews and tell me your thoughts!


	6. The Secret is Out

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill**

The next morning, I wake up to the sound of a very familiar, pleasant voice. I look over at Sophie, who's sleeping peacefully next to me. I try my hardest to quietly climb out of bed without waking her, and after changing out of my pajamas (Lucas brought our bags over from the inn last night), I tiptoe out the door. I slip into the bathroom across the hall and wash up. When I'm done, I just stare at myself in the mirror for a minute. I hear two other voices coming from the living room now and I feel a heavy knot in my stomach, part anticipation and part nerves. I can't wait any longer.

I open the door and walk out into the living room. Nathan and Lucas are sitting on the couch while Haley paces back and forth in front of them. The minute I walk in, all three of them look up at me and Haley stops dead in her tracks.

"Brooke Davis! Come here!" She opens her arms up and I walk right into one of the best hugs I've had in a long time. A classic Haley hug.

"Tutorgirl, oh how I've missed you," I whisper in her ear as we continue to hug. I pull away from her just as Nathan walks over to us, and I hug him.

"It's nice to see you again, Brooke," he says.

"What are you two doing here?" I ask her. Lucas still hasn't gotten up from his place on the couch.

"Lucas called us late last night and told us you were here, so of course we had to make the road trip out to see you!" Haley exclaims in excitement, and I wrap my arms around her again. It's unbelievably comforting to see her, and as I'm hugging her I realize how much I've missed them both.

"Where's Jamie?? I was looking forward to meeting the little guy!" I smile at Haley and Nathan warmly, and Haley's practically beaming back at me.

"Aw, he just looked so peaceful sleeping, we couldn't wake him. He's back home with his Grandma Deb."

Still smiling, I glance over at Lucas but the look on his face wipes the smile off in an instant. He slowly stands up from the couch, and his face looks both angry and confused. Whatever ounce of forgiveness that was creeping over him last night is shot to hell now, I'd bet by the look he's giving me.

"How did you know about Jamie?" He asks in a low, steady tone. He looks from me to Haley, then back at me. I shoot a sideways look at Haley, and I can see she's blushing. Nathan looks at her intently, and the silence is incredibly unsettling.

"Well," I take a deep breath and close my eyes before speaking again. "Haley and I have sort of been e-mailing. A lot."

Haley looks down at her shoes while Nathan continues to look at her.

"Hales? How come you never told me?" He doesn't sound angry, just confused, and for that I am grateful. I would hate to be the cause of a fight right now. "All these times we comforted Luke when he was hitting the bottle, the times we saw Brooke on tv and wondered how she is. You knew all along?"

"How long has this been going on?" Lucas looks at Haley now, and I can see the anger as if it were literally dripping off of his face. Haley finally looks up to meet Nathan's eyes, but she still avoids Lucas when she speaks.

"Sixteen years."

"Sixteen years?!" Lucas explodes now, and he turns his back to the three of us in an effort to compose himself. "You've been talking to her since she left and you never even told me?"

"Lucas, don't be mad at -- " I start to say but he interrupts me, and his face is red with anger.

"Don't even get me started with you, Brooke," he points at me but I continue to look him in the eyes. "You completely block me out, erase me from your life, leave without a trace, but manage to keep in touch with Haley?! HALEY? What about me?! Didn't anyone care about how I felt??"

Just then, Sophie appears in the living room. She rubs the sleep from her eyes and looks at us all in confusion. I know she probably recognizes Nathan and Haley from the old pictures Peyton showed her, but her eyes go directly to myself and Lucas. Before she can say a word, Haley covers her mouth as tears fall slowly from her eyes. She walks over to Sophie and wraps her arms around her.

"Oh, Sophie," she cries as Sophie hugs her back carefully, still utterly confused. "Look how beautiful you are!"

Haley holds Sophie's hands out in front of her and backs up a little to look her up and down. She's still crying but smiling, and Sophie just looks at her and smiles back weakly. If it weren't for Lucas fuming next to me, I'd be crying too, seeing Haley and Sophie together like this. I really never meant to run away from all the people I loved, the people that loved me. Seeing Haley and Nathan this morning just further reminds me of my guilt. I know they, especially Haley, would have wanted to watch Sophie grow and be there to babysit her and hear her first words. That's how it was meant to be. That's how it should have been. I desperately try to push these thoughts out of my head as I continue to smile sadly.

"Last time I saw you, you were a tiny, screaming baby. And now look at you!" Haley says breathlessly, choking out the last few words. I freeze. I don't even dare to look at Lucas or Nathan. I just stare straight ahead, at Sophie and Haley, who are still lost in their own world. Sophie's saying something to Haley now too but I can't hear anything. My palms get clammy and I take a deep breath before turning to look at Lucas, who looks even angrier than before.

"What?" He says simply, looking past me and at Haley. She looks at him, oblivious, unaware of what she accidentally just let slip.

"What?" She replies innocently, looking at Lucas and then Nathan. For a brief moment, I'm grateful that no one is looking at me because any minute I feel like I might crumble.

"Soph, why don't you go change out of your PJs? Haley and I want to take you on a little tour of Tree Hill," I manage to say, but the words come out barely audible. Sophie looks at me, and I know her well enough to understand what she's asking me with her big blue eyes. I just shake my head, and look back at her as if to say "Don't ask. Just go." She quietly heads to the bedroom without protest, which is surprising coming from her, but I know that even _she_ wants to get away from the tension in the room. Once she's gone, Haley looks at me, and I know she finally understands.

"Look, before anyone says anything," I say boldly. Where did that come from? A minute ago I felt sick to my stomach, like I was going to faint. But I can't let Haley take the blows for my stupidity. She's done too much for me. "It was all my fault, okay? I called Haley from the hospital the day after Sophie was born and asked her if she'd come see me. I begged her not to bring anyone. When she got to New York, I made her promise that she wouldn't tell you guys about any of it. Not even Peyton knew where I was yet. Haley tried to argue, and I honestly didn't think she would keep quiet as long as she did." I shoot her a grateful look, then look back at Lucas, who stands with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Let me get this straight. You saw Brooke, met my daughter, then came back here and watched me fall apart for sixteen years without saying a word?" Now all I see is hurt in his eyes as Lucas looks at Haley. "You, of all people, Haley? My best friend?"

Haley's eyes fill with tears again, and I can tell that Lucas' words are tearing her apart inside. I know she must feel so guilty, and the whole thing was such an un-Haleylike thing to do. Again, the guilt rushes through me. I don't even want to hear what Nathan has to say about all of this. As if on cue, Sophie walks back in, dressed and ready to go.

"I'm ready whenever you guys are," she says to me and Haley. It's amazing but she always seems to know exactly when to save me. I love her for it.

I look at Lucas one last time. "We'll be back in a few hours. We'll talk later."

Haley kisses Nathan goodbye, and again I'm eternally grateful that he's not mad. Lucas, on the other hand, well... it's going to take some work. With that, the three of us leave the house.

**AN: Alright well I know that was kinda longer than my usual chapters, but there was a lot of ground I wanted to cover. Expect an update soon! Review please! **


	7. Familiar Places

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill**

Haley lets out a deep breath now that we're in my car. I'm driving with no idea of where we're going. Anywhere is better than being in Lucas' living room right now.

"So that was...intense," Sophie comments from the back seat. Haley turns around and looks at her accusingly. "Yeah, I tend to _overhear_ some things. So what?"

We all laugh, and it feels good, being here with my daughter and one of my best friends, just laughing. As if nothing has changed. For a minute I even forget how much Lucas wants to strangle both Haley and me. But only for a minute.

"Look, I say we forget about all that stuff for the next couple of hours. Let's just have fun," I suggest and both girls nod in agreement.

"So, Haley, tell me about yourself," Sophie says. Haley looks surprised for a moment, and I instantly feel bad for not talking about her nearly as much as I should have. Of course I've told Sophie about her and Nathan, and she's seen pictures, but I didn't tell her that we've kept in touch.

"Well, I teach English at UNC, where we went to school. Nathan's been playing for the NBA since we graduated college, which would be about twelve years now. He started off playing for the Lakers, but then we moved back here when he got signed with the Bobcats. We live by the beach, we have a crazy five year old named Jamie and a rabbit named Chester," she says with a smile. I smile too, even though I already knew all of this. I'm so glad Haley and Nathan got the life they always wanted.

"Wow, you guys look like the perfect couple," Sophie's always been a hopeless romantic. "So. Who's Lindsey?"

"Sophie!" I shoot her a look through the rearview mirror but Haley just laughs.

"It's okay, I don't blame you for being curious. She's his fiance. She's a book editor, they met when she showed interest in publishing his first novel."

I look over at Haley in surprise but quickly turn my attention back to the road. "Wow. He finally wrote a novel? That's been his dream since like, forever."

"Yeah, he's been working on it for the past couple of years, when he finally pulled himself together and tried getting back on track," Haley shoots a look at me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to -- "

"That's so cool, he's an author? What's his book about?" Sophie sounds impressed, and I'm glad she can see firsthand how amazing Luke really is.

"You know, even _I_ don't know. He wouldn't let anyone read it, not until it's published. It should be done in the next few months, actually."

I realize that I'm still driving around Tree Hill aimlessly, but I don't even mind it. I've missed Haley so much that I could be just about anywhere right now and still be glad to hear her talk and laugh.

"So tell me about your crazy times in high school," Sophie says, and I feel the lightbulb go off in my head. It's about time I stop being so touchy about my past. Sophie's my best friend and the most important person in my life, and I suddenly realize how much I want to let her in. I need to. She barely even knows the Brooke Davis from Tree Hill. That girl was so different than the woman I am today. I can't exactly say if it's a good different or bad, it's just different. I'm finally ready to let go of everything and take this trip for what it is: a trip through memory lane, back to the life I never knew I missed so much.

"Better yet, why don't we show you?" I smile and make a right turn at the stop sign, in the direction of Tree Hill High. Haley looks at me and I know she's proud of this giant step I'm taking. We pull into the empty parking lot, get out, and enter the building.

"I can't believe how long it's been," I'm almost breathless. Haley tells us she hasn't been here since graduation either. We walk through the hallways, stopping every so often in front of a class and telling Sophie stories about ourselves and our friends. Then we turn a corner and freeze. Sophie looks at us curiously.

"This was where..." Haley starts, but then stops. "Keith. And Jimmy."

I link my arm through Sophie's and try to explain without getting emotional. "There was a school shooting, our senior year of highschool. Peyton got shot in the leg, and Lucas' uncle Keith...he was killed."

Sophie lets out a gasp. I know she wasn't expecting _this_ when she asked for high school stories. She was expecting wild parties, drunken nights, bad dates, basketball games. Not anything like this. None of us would have ever expected anything like this.

"I wish I was here," I'm surprised at how distant my own voice sounds. "I wish I was in here that day, Haley. I know that sounds awful but I can't stand thinking about how far I was from all of you, when we all needed each other the most. Lucas needed me and I wasn't there." Sophie is silent, stunned next to me.

"Brooke, don't say that. You have no idea what a relief it was to Lucas to know that you _weren't _in here. That you were safe somewhere. That's all that he would have wanted. And you helped him get through everything with Keith. That counts for something, you know."

I shake my head and walk down the hall, turning the corner. I know Sophie must be concerned, seeing me like this, but neither of them follow me. All I want is to be alone right now. I feel a breakdown coming on, a major one. So much for a relaxing week in paradise. I make my way into the gym and take a seat on the bleachers. I take several deep breaths, trying to calm myself down.

Sitting in this gym, everything starts rushing back. I can almost hear the basketball dribbling, the crowd cheering, Mouth announcing the game from the sidelines, Whitey yelling play-by-plays at the team. I can see myself, Haley, and Peyton in our cheer uniforms, pompoms in hand, laughing and cheering for our boys. I can see Karen and Keith out in the sea of faces, so blissful and in love. The final buzzer goes off, and all the cheerleaders run to the middle of the court to celebrate with our Ravens. It feels like another lifetime; I miss it so damn much. I knew these feelings were deep in me somewhere, but they were hidden away as I went through my busy life in New York. Now, between seeing Lucas and walking these halls, I feel it boiling up inside of me. What happened to me? How did I let fame and money and mostly just fear keep me away from my best friends? And why did it take something like Sophie switching our plane tickets for me to come back to them?

I hear the gym door open and look up to see Haley walking in. She takes a seat next to me and takes my hand in hers. Before she says anything, I pour my feelings out. Everything I was just thinking about and everything that I've been carrying with me for the past sixteen years. Talk about a girl with a lot of emotional baggage.

"Tutor mom, I am in over my head. I have been for the past sixteen years."

"Brooke, how can you say that? You have raised a beautiful, smart, strong young lady all by yourself. Clothes Over Bros is an international, high fashion brand that started with a sweatshirt in my living room. Sweetheart, you're living the dream. And you're kicking ass at it."

I smile at her efforts to comfort me, but I look down at my hands again. "I shouldn't have left Lucas when he needed me. Just like the shooting. All I ever did was run away. I was so selfish."

I can tell Haley's trying to choose her words carefully. After a moment, she gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "He loved you. And you saved him more than you might think. Look, I've lectured you enough in our e-mails. All I'm going to say at this point is that, it's been hard on Lucas and on you. But you'll pull through. You're a lot stronger than you think, Brooke."

I can't believe how easy it is for this girl to make me feel better. I instantly feel calmer. She's right; I need to stop feeling so sorry for myself and start making things right. I may even need more than a week here to do that, but I'm willing to stay longer if that's what it takes. I squeeze her hand back before pulling her into a much needed hug. Just then, her cell phone rings and we both groan.

**AN: Okay, so I know these chapters have all been pretty emotional lately, and I promise things WILL start lightening up a little. You just have to get where Brooke's coming from and where she's at in all of this, hence the need for a chapter like this one. Anyway, please review! **


	8. The Missing Piece

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill**

It was Nathan. Telling Haley that Lucas has cooled off and that we should probably head back over there to smooth things over. We hesitate, but then decide that it'd probably be best to cut the tour of Tree Hill short for now. In the car, I assure Sophie that I'm okay and am not suffering another mental break down. Haley and I share more fun stories with her all the way back.

Once we enter Lucas' house, the first thing I notice is that Lucas himself is nowhere in sight. Nathan is sitting on the same couch, talking on his cell phone. Haley plops down next to him quietly and rests her hand lightly on his knee. This simple gesture takes me back through time again, and I see the young and anxious Haley James, tutor girl, with the cocky and flirtatious Nathan Scott, star basketball player. I smile at the memory of the party Lucas, Peyton and I threw them after hearing about their surprise shotgun wedding. It's amazing how in love they were and still continue to be. I can't help but shake the voice in my head that tells me, "Hey, dumbass, that's what you and Lucas were supposed to have too."

That reminds me. Lucas. Sophie and I wait patiently until Nathan gets off his cell phone and explains to us that it was a business call with one of his countless sponsors, scheduling another commercial shoot with him. He gives Haley a quick peck on the lips, before looking back at me.

"Luke wants to talk to you." Gee, thank you Captain Obvious. I roll my eyes but resist the urge to throw some smartass remark back at Nathan, the way I used to when we would playfully bicker back and forth in high school.

"Uh, where is he?" I ask, unsure if I really want to know. The longer I can put off The Talk, the better.

"He told me to tell you to meet him at the cemetery," Nathan says casually as he puts his arm around Haley. Haley, Sophie, and I both look at him in confusion.

"Well that's...interesting, don't you think?" I try to smile but I start to panic. Why in the world would he want to talk there? This is going to be hard enough as it is. Should I take this as some sort of weird omen?

"That's all he told me. You really should go, Brooke. He's trying."

I feel Sophie's eyes on me and I know she's going to join Nathan and Haley in urging me to spend some time alone with him. Not that I don't want to. Of course I want to. I'm just scared of what feelings that'll ignite in me.

"Talk to him, Brooke. Besides, we'd love some time with our NIECE," Haley emphasizes the word and causes both Sophie and Nathan to smile, warming my cold and bitter heart instantly.

"Alright, I'm going," I sigh and hold my hands up in defeat. I hear them laugh as I close the front door behind me and get into my rental car. On the short drive over there, I desperately try to think of a way to apologize to Lucas without sounding vulnerable. No luck. When I pull up across the street, I can already see him standing outside at the front gate.

I know the small, intimate cemetery well. This is where Peyton and I would come to visit both her moms, where we would seek comfort in talking to a gravestone. This is also where Keith is buried, though I never actually remember seeing Karen bring herself to visit. When I walk up to Lucas, I nod at him in greeting and he just pushes open the gate in response. I follow him through the cemetery and straight to Keith's grave. We stand around awkwardly for a couple of minutes, until I sit down on the floor, leaning my back against the huge willow tree. Lucas looks at me a moment, and I know it must look strange, me sitting there on the grass in my tailored shorts and heels, but he follows suit and sits cross legged next to me.

"You know, I spent a lot of years wondering why my dad didn't love me enough to claim me," Lucas' voice is low and I feel a lump rising in my throat the minute I realize where this is going, but instead of cutting him off I look at him intently, willing him to continue. "It's not easy when all the kids in your second grade class are busy making cards on Father's Day, and you just get to sit and watch. I would come home and yell at my mom, asking her why we weren't good enough. I know my words hurt her, but I was young and confused. I don't think any kid deserves to feel that."

"Lucas," my mouth is dry but I fight to get the words out there. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to turn out the way it did."

He ignores me and I wonder if I actually said anything out loud, or if I was just thinking it. "But I owe everything I am to my mom. She was so strong and independent, and she raised me without needing a single helping hand. And she worked day in and day out to make a comfortable life for us. At first it was waitressing, jobs she secretly hated but tolerated to pay the bills, until she finally bought the cafe and lived her dream. And I admired her for that. She never faltered or showed any signs of weakness or pain, at least not to me. And when I look at Sophie now, when I talked to her for the first time last night, I see that you have raised an amazing young woman. And you've done it all on your own, like my mom. And because I've seen first hand what my mom put on the line for me all those years, I can't exactly talk down at you or be angry with you."

I blink back tears of relief, and I am so utterly touched by what he has just said. I never would have expected that from him. I expected to cringe while he yelled at me, glared at me. Before I know it, I open my arms wide. And, surprisingly, I feel him coming closer, into my embrace. He rests his head on my chest and I hold him tighter than I probably should but I don't care. This feels so right. It's like a puzzle that was missing the final piece that would make it whole again. It just fits.

"Oh, Lucas," I whisper. "What happened to us? How could I have let it all fall apart?" We stay like that a moment longer until he slowly straightens up again and sits back in his original position.

"I wanted to talk to you here for Keith. After Keith came into our lives, things were better somehow. My mom was happier, I was happier. He was more of a father to me than Dan ever was. And because of this, I always told myself that when I have a kid, I want to be like Keith. I want to make my kid feel loved and wanted, and I want to teach them things and laugh with them and cry with them. And, above anything else, I don't want to be anything like Dan. Not like how he was towards me and especially not like how he was with Nathan."

"Lucas, you're not like Dan," I take his hand in mine as I say this whole heartedly. Karen's words from yesterday ring back in my mind. "Just the fact that you stepped up and wanted to be involved during my pregnancy says a lot. It was my fault for running away, and I wish I hadn't because I realize how much I took from you. But I want you to have that chance. To be like Keith. I want Sophie to know how incredible her dad is."

Lucas looks at me with his sad, crystal blue eyes and it feels like he's looking right through me. Before I can register what's happening, he leans in and kisses me passionately, holding my face with one hand while the other rests on my thigh. Instead of resisting like I probably should have, I kiss him back with an intensity I didn't even know I had in me. My heart flutters and I feel chills going through my whole body as the kiss deepens. I see flashes of old memories while we continue to kiss, his hand slightly caressing my thigh.

_We're tangled up in his sheets, and I'm giggling as he kisses my stomach repeatedly. I wrap my arms around his bare, toned back and he whispers in my ear, "I love you, Brooke Davis." He leans back slightly so that he's looking directly into my eyes and I bite my lip as a rush of emotions rise up in my chest. "I love you too, Broody." _

Oh, boy.

**AN: Okay so I'm sorry for the long delay, but I've been super busy. But to make up for it, I brought you guys the juicy Brucas moment you were all waiting for! There will also be some cameos from other characters in the near future. Keep the reviews coming, they encourage me to keep going! **


	9. My Girls

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or these characters!**

Who would have thought I'd be sitting in Tree Hill, in the cemetery no less, kissing Lucas Scott after all these years? My mind is racing but I can't bring myself to pull away just yet. Everything I've been stressing about since we arrived here seems to melt away at his touch, and I'm falling fast. All of a sudden, we hear the loud buzz of his cell phone, coming from his back pocket. He groans, but I finally pull myself away from his lips to allow him to answer. He looks at me for just a second, and I swear I see a flicker of desire in his eyes. I shift my eyes away from his. Reluctantly, he answers his phone.

"Oh, Lindsey, hey," my eyes dart back over to his face, but now he's looking down and picking at the grass. How could I have been so stupid? He's ENGAGED. Did I forget that? No. I just pushed it to the back of my mind in denial because I wanted to kiss him so badly. Ugh, I'm such a bitch.

"I miss you too, baby. Oh, you know, I've just been here. Catching up with Brooke and..." I can't help but notice the pregnant pause. "And her daughter. Yeah, I know. You're flying back tomorrow, though, right? Are you serious? Yeah, I know, I know."

I look away again. He loves this woman, I can't deny it. Suddenly, I hear Karen's angry voice in my mind.  
_  
"He has Lindsey, and she's good for him and they're in love. Don't be so selfish as to take THAT away from him too, with this little visit of yours."_

"Okay well call me later. I love you too. Bye." Click. I feel his fingertips on my thigh again, this time carefully tracing a pattern, and I force myself to look at him again.

"She has some more work to take care of. Her flight might be pushed back by a few days," it might be my imagination, but I don't hear a trace of disappointment in his voice. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Lucas, this is wrong," I finally say it, as much as I don't want to. "You're engaged and you're in love. I'm not here to take that away from you. I'm just here for Sophie." I stand up to indicate that we should head back home, and he gets up too.

Just as I'm about to head back towards the front gate, I feel his warm hand close around my wrist, turning me around. Gently but swiftly, he pushes me back so I'm leaning against the tree. Holding my face in both his hands, he kisses me even more deeply than before. I feel my heart begin to race as I feel his strong body against mine. I want this so bad and he knows it. We kiss until he finally pulls away a little and looks me right in the eyes.

"You're not just here for Sophie. I can see it in your eyes. It was never over, Brooke, and you know it."

I take a deep breath but I'm speechless. I manage to break free and start walking away as fast as possible. He catches up to me within a few seconds, but we don't say another word until we're out of the cemetery and at my car.

"So, uh, did you walk here? Do you need a ride?" I ask him without meeting his gaze. He looks at me intently for another minute before answering reluctantly that yes, he did walk here and yes, he would like a ride back home. We get in the car and don't say a single word on the ride back, although I can feel his eyes on me the entire time I'm driving.

Once inside the house, we realize that it's empty. Sophie, Haley, and Nathan are nowhere to be found. Great. The last thing I need right now is to be alone in this house with Lucas.

"Maybe I should call Sophie and tell them we're home," I say more to myself than to Lucas.

"Nah, just let them hang out a while longer. I know how much it'd mean to Nathan and Haley."

I sigh and prepare to argue, but then realize that he's right. Stop being a selfish bitch, Brooke. How many times have I had to remind myself throughout this trip? Ugh. I head over to the kitchen and grab a water bottle from the fridge. When I turn around, Lucas is leaning against the table, which makes me jump.

"Don't do that!" I glare at him and punch him lightly in the stomach. He laughs at me in response, and reaches over to tickle me playfully. He remembers my ticklish spots. There goes my stony, I'm-Gonna-Give-You-The-Cold-Shoulder-Now exterior; I can't help but crack up. I beg him to stop, and we're both laughing loudly by this point. I'm trying to push him away when all of a sudden, we both fall to the floor and get tangled up in each other, cracking up and breathless.

"Hm, what'd we miss here?" Lucas and I both stop laughing and look up at the sound of Haley's amused voice. She's standing in the kitchen doorway with her arms folded across her chest. Sophie and Nathan appear behind her. How did we not hear them come in? I jump to my feet, but Lucas stays seated on the floor.

"We were just..." I open my mouth, then close it, then open it again. We were just what? On the kitchen floor, flirting, even though I was trying to avoid him for making out with me and practically telling me he still has feelings for me? Sophie grins at me but I shoot her a look that says, "Don't even go there."

"Never mind us, where were you guys?" Lucas swoops in with the save, slowly standing up next to me now.

"We went to get some food. But looks like this is where the real fun is," Sophie says, causing Nathan to chuckle. Before I can say anything, Haley walks towards me and takes both my hands in hers.

"Well, anyway, Nate and I are gonna head back. We miss Jamie too much, and I have about a million errands to run and Nathan has this big commercial to shoot with the team. It's crazy. Anyway, Brooke, today was great," I cut her rant short by pulling her into a hug and holding her tight. She promises that they'll be back to see us one more time before Sophie and I go back to New York. I whisper a thank you into her ear, and I'm sure no one else hears but her. I really don't know how I would have held up without her.

Nathan walks over and takes me into his arms now. "See ya, hot shot," I say with a wink, although I really don't want them to go. I want to spend as much time as humanly possible with my Naley before going back home. But everyone has their own lives now, and I can't expect them to stick around forever. I watch as Nathan and Sophie walk back to the living room, talking about her dying to meet her cousin Jamie. I smile and my eyes wander back to Lucas and Haley.

"I'll call you two later. Oh, and Luke? You should be grateful it wasn't Lindsey who walked in on you guys earlier."

Haley leaves Lucas speechless, sneaking one last smile at me before walking out of the kitchen. Believe it or not, she took the words right out of my mouth; and she was just talking about the TICKLING. Sophie comes back into the kitchen, and I am now aware that it's just the three of us once again. Lucas asks Sophie if there's anywhere she wants to go, and she tells us she'd rather spend the night watching movies here. Just the three of us. Spending good old quality time together. And surprisingly, I want that too, more than anything.

Just a couple of hours later, as night begins to settle in outside, I start popping popcorn in the kitchen while Lucas and Sophie pick out a movie from his giant collection in the living room. The three of us get comfortable on the couch with blankets and popcorn, Sophie sitting in between Lucas and I. We ended up watching a romantic comedy, and I have to give Lucas credit for sitting through a chick flick (though I can't help but wonder if this was part of Lindsey's collection, and just like that I'm reminded that she lives here, too); he actually laughed along with us a few times. When it's over, none of us move from under the blanket.

"So, why haven't you told Lindsey about us?" Sophie breaks the silence, of course. I roll my eyes but must admit I'm curious to hear the response myself. That sure caught Lucas off guard, and I almost see a flicker of pain cross his face, only for a moment.

"Uh, well, I'm planning to. Definitely. It just, I just didn't wanna complicate things. Not until I met you first, at least."

Hm. Nice answer, Luke. Sophie seems content with it too. She puts her head on his chest and closes her eyes, smiling. What a kodak moment. Again, totally cheesy but it's melting my heart. In less than ten minutes, Sophie's breathing becomes steady and I know she's asleep. I glance over at Lucas, who is looking down at her affectionately, before closing my own eyes and snuggling up under the blankets.

Just as I am drifting into sleep, I could swear I hear Lucas whisper sweetly, "My girls..." but it could have just as easily been my imagination.

**AN: And there you go! More Brucas cuteness, plus some cute family bonding time! And as I mentioned, more cameos from other characters are coming up too. Review please! **


	10. Breakfast, Tears, and Apologies

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill! **

The minute I open my eyes, I'm confused. When did I get to the guest room? Or more importantly, HOW? I turn over on my side to look at Sophie, only... she's not there. Huh. Just as I sit up in bed, I hear a door shut somewhere in the house.

"Soph?" I call out but hear no response. Soon enough, I hear footsteps out in the hallway and my bedroom door flings open, and in walks...

Karen. Oh.

"Brooke." She stops dead in her tracks, although by this point she's already in the room, and we just stare at each other in surprise for a moment. "What are you doing here?"

"Karen, this isn't what it looks like," I say as I pull the covers up, even though I'm still wearing yesterday's outfit. Weird.

"Oh, because it looks like you're sleeping in my son's house. That's just beautiful, Brooke."

We're both startled to hear the front door shut and soon enough Lucas appears in the doorway.

"Mom? What, what are you doing here?" He stammers, and I can tell he's just as surprised as I was. Or still am.

"Don't I have the right to come over here and drop off some food for my son? Is that okay with Brooke?"

My eyes widen and I finally break my silence. Don't be such a coward, Davis. "Why wouldn't it be? Karen, ever since I got here you've been targeting me non-stop. I mean, I know I'm not exactly your favorite person right now and I can understand that, but you can at least be just a little bit easier on me."

Lucas and Karen both look at me as if they're surprised to find I actually have a voice. To top things off, I notice Sophie stopping at the doorway, a mug of coffee in her hand. God, that smells good.

"Sorry, am I interrupting? Should I..." She glances at Karen's angry face, and I can definitely see why she would hesitate.

"No," Lucas and I both say in unison. Then, "It's okay, Soph, come in," I stand up now and walk over to her, taking the mug from her hands and winking at her gratefully.

Again, at the mere sight of her, Karen's eyes fill up with tears almost instantly. Lucas looks down, clearly uncomfortable, but I stare straight into Karen's eyes.

"Karen, there's someone I want you to meet. Sophie, this is Karen...Lucas' mom. Karen, Sophie."

Sophie lets out a little gasp, and then puts her hand up to her mouth and blushes. Lucas smiles a bit and I do too, as Karen steps closer to her and just takes her in her arms. And just like that, the tension from earlier flies out of the room. Sophie holds Karen just as tightly, and when they finally break away from their embrace, Karen smiles but still avoids looking at me.

"Oh, honey, you're beautiful. Absolutely beautiful," she says quietly, almost to herself.

"Mom, why don't you take Sophie over to the cafe? We went out this morning, but she hasn't had breakfast yet. You should cook for her."

Karen looks first at Sophie, then Lucas, and then finally moves her eyes over to me. I nod slightly, and tell her with my eyes that I want her to. She turns back to Sophie who tells her that she'd like that.

After they leave, Lucas offers to make _me_ breakfast, and although I refused at first I finally caved. I can't remember when I last had a hearty, home-cooked breakfast, and I suddenly feel so hungry. I sit at the kitchen table and watch him take out a carton of eggs and some toast.

"So if this new Brooke is anything like the old Brooke, I know you still have no idea how to cook," Lucas chuckles as he cracks a few eggs into a pan.

"Hey! I make a mean grilled cheese sandwich, okay?" But I can't help but laugh at this too. This boy still knows me so well; it amazes me. "So where were you and Sophie this morning? And how the hell did I end up in the guest room? Last I remember, we were all still on the couch."

"We all slept there last night. Sophie and I woke up early this morning. But you, Miss, are clearly sleep deprived and you were still knocked out. So I took you to the bed and Sophie and I headed out for a walk. I took her by the Rivercourt and then we went over to the bridge for a while. It was nice. She told me all about her life in New York, and about her childhood. It was really nice."

I smile as the delicious smell of warm food fills the small kitchen all around us. "What exactly did she tell you?" I ask, raising my eyebrow slightly.

"She told me about how you would read her a bedtime story every single night, no matter how long of a day you'd had in the office. And how, every year for her birthday, you'd custom-design and make a beautiful, one-of-a-kind dress for her and tell her she's a princess," he looks at me admiringly now, and I feel my face flush. "Then she told me about this new boyfriend of hers... I don't know, Brooke, I'm not sure about this guy."

I can't help but laugh at his serious expression. "Luke, he's a good kid. They're happy, it's cute. Stop being such an overprotective dad, sheesh."

We both stop at this comment, and it just hangs in the air between us for a second, but then Lucas cracks that shy smile of his and I let out a breath.

"So, I know my mom sort of attacked you when you got here the other day..."

"You do?" I groan and rub my temple. How embarrassing.

"She called me and told me, before you even showed up here that night."

"Really. And..."

"And, she lectured me more than she ever has in my entire life. And I more or less told her to butt out."

"Luke, you didn't!" I let out a gasp but he just nods and serves up my eggs, even though I'm increasingly losing my appetite.

"She had no right to ambush you like that, Brooke. She didn't even take a minute to acknowledge the fact that you actually stepped up and came down here. That takes a lot of courage, even if it did take you sixteen years."

"And that's why you didn't yell at me that night..." I mumble more to myself, but he nods again.

"Anyway, you guys have to sort this out."

I tell him that I know, and that I will make the effort to talk to Karen. We share breakfast and more lighthearted conversation, and it's absolutely delicious and something I really, really needed. When we're done, I tell him that I should go over to the cafe to pick up Sophie and talk to Karen. As I'm about to leave, he gives me a quick peck on the lips and for a minute everything seems so normal, like this simple gesture is not at all out of the ordinary. I ignore the ridiculous desire that is nagging at me from inside my chest, threatening to rise up and choke me at any given minute, and head out.

When I get to the cafe, I spot Sophie sitting at a table with a mug in her hands and a huge smile on her face. The rest of the place is empty and there's a CLOSED sign hanging on the door.

"Hey honey, how was breakfast?" I set my purse down and pull out a chair. At the sound of my voice, Karen appears from behind the counter, almost out of thin air, and joins us.

"It was SO good... like, out of this world good!" Sophie smiles and I reach out across the table and squeeze her hand. I tell her I'm glad she enjoyed it, and I even tell her how many mornings the old gang spent here, and how much we loved Karen's cooking. And finally, Karen herself breaks her silence.

"Brooke, we need to talk."

At this, Sophie looks from Karen to me and then back at Karen. "Do you want me to..."

"No, sweetheart, I think you should hear this too," Karen looks at me and I nod. I do feel pretty bad for keeping Sophie so out of the loop. It's so unlike me; we tell each other everything, always.

"Brooke, I'm so sorry for lashing out at you. I just had all this anger built up in me, and more than that I was hurt. I wanted to take care of my granddaughter, I wanted my son to get a chance at being a dad. I wanted my old Lucas back. And, I wanted my Brooke back," she looks deep into my eyes and I feel the tears blurring my vision almost instantly. "I couldn't understand why you would want to run away from us. You knew you had a family here, and you knew we would all love and support you and your baby all the same."

"I know, Karen. You don't know how much I've kicked myself over the past sixteen years for leaving Tree Hill." I'm aware of Sophie's surprised expression, probably because I've never actually admitted this aloud, but I keep going. "And I missed you and Lucas more than you know. You were my family, how could I not? And I'm so, so, SO sorry for hurting you. It's the last thing I would have wanted."

Karen squeezes my arm and I can see the tears in her own eyes now. "Well, these past few days have been pretty emotional, huh?" We all laugh and wipe at our tears. "I love you, Brooke Davis. And I love this amazing daughter of yours, too. And I'm so glad you're back and right now that's all that matters. And life is too short to dwell over the past."

Almost as if on cue, the door to the cafe opens and in walks a beautiful girl who looks to be Sophie's age. I look at her for just a minute before suddenly realizing who it is. I scramble out of my chair and pull her into a huge hug.

"LILY!" I can see the confusion on her face, and on Sophie's, but I can't help but hold her tightly. The last time I saw her was the day of our high school graduation, when Karen gave birth to her and I went with Lucas to visit. It was before I told Lucas I was pregnant, and shortly before I left Tree Hill.

"Uh, Brooke Davis? You're... in my mom's cafe?" I laugh and Karen introduces Lily to Sophie, and briefly explains to Lily why we're here (she's definitely surprised to learn that her big brother is a dad). I just look at her affectionately, and I can't help but think about how she's grown up without her dad, all these years. And my mind wanders back to the day that Keith was so selfishly taken from Karen, who didn't even know she was pregnant at the time.

And in that fleeting instant, I knew I could never take Sophie away from Lucas again.

**AN: Okay so this chapter was kinda a filler chapter, only kinda not because I needed to fix things with Brooke and Karen before the story could continue. I'll be updating soon, but next week classes start so my updates may be a bit sporadic. Anyway, thoughts?! **


	11. Just for Tonight

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill! **

When we get back to Lucas' house a few hours later, Sophie and I are talking and laughing as we push the front door open and walk in. Only to see Lindsey sitting on Lucas' lap on the couch. She smiles her beautiful smile at us and jumps to her feet.

"I'm so glad you girls stuck around, now I can officially meet you!"

I can see Sophie looking past her at Lucas, but he avoids both our eyes. I smile at Lindsey and struggle to find something to say.

"Hey Lindsey. How was the trip?"

As she tells me about how tiring but productive her business trip was, Sophie drags herself over to the couch and plops down next to Lucas, and he finally looks at her and gives her a weak smile. I know what she's thinking. Because it's the exact same thing I'm thinking. When's he gonna tell her and get it over with?

"So, Luke told me you've been staying here. I hope you've been feeling right at home."

I just nod and smile my fakest smile. When she looks away, I shoot a look at Lucas and he just nods. We both know how awkward the rest of the week will be if he drags this on any longer.

"Honey, I actually had something I was gonna talk to you about before Brooke and Sophie got here..." Uh oh. I better sit down for this, it might get ugly. Lindsey follows and sits down next to me, and we're facing Lucas and Sophie.

I can tell from Lucas' expression that he's trying to choose his words carefully. I suck in a deep breath and look at Sophie.

"The thing is, Brooke and I have a lot of history together," Lucas looks into Lindsey's eyes, but she doesn't seem upset. Yet.

"Oh my gosh, you two dated in high school? What a small world!"

"Well, yeah. But um, there's more to it than that. Wow this is hard so I'm just going to say it. Sophie isn't just Brooke's daughter. She's mine. Well, ours."

I wince and brace myself for the worst. Lindsey's face quickly turns pale and her expression becomes serious.

"What?"

Lucas looks down at the floor and I know he's not about to repeat THAT again, so I decide to step in.

"Look, Lindsey, I know this is hard to hear. But you have to imagine how hard it is for -- "

"I think Lucas should speak for himself on this one, Brooke, if you don't mind." She shoots me a nasty look, very far removed from the admiration I saw in her face the first time we met. Ouch. Maybe it's better if I sit this one out. "How could you keep something like this from me? After everything we've been through together? What, were you waiting until our wedding night?"

"It's a lot more complicated than it seems, okay? I just, I needed time. I was going to tell you, it was just --"

"Any other Scotts out there I should know about?" She cuts him off and glares at me, but Lucas speaks up before I even open my mouth.

"No." Then, in a lower voice, he adds, "And technically she's a Davis."

Not exactly the time to be a smartass, buddy. And besides...

"Davis Scott." I'm surprised when I hear my own voice. Lucas looks at me questioningly, but I smile a small smile and look at my beautiful daughter. "It's not Sophie Davis. It's Sophie Davis Scott."

Lucas' eyes tear up almost instantly, but it's clear that he's struggling to hold them back. He looks at me and nods slightly, as if to say thank you. I nod back. You're welcome, Lucas.

"Okay, I, I need to leave. I can't be here right now." Lindsey stands up and Lucas jumps to his feet immediately after her. She heads to the door and Lucas asks her to stay and sort this all out with him. Sophie and I watch quietly as she tells him not to try calling her just yet. With that, the front door slams shut. And Lucas stands in the foyer with his hands on his hips. But he doesn't budge. He doesn't go after her. After what feels like an eternity, although it was no more than a few minutes, he comes back over to us.

"I think this is my cue. I'm supposed to call Lily anyways. Karen was saying something about us hanging out tonight."

I can tell from a mile away when Sophie's uncomfortable. Clearly, she has no idea what to say to Lucas after what just happened. She disappears into the guest room and Lucas and I are left on the couch. We sit in silence for a while, and when we do finally talk I tell him I'm sorry for what just happened.

"None of this was your fault, Brooke. You coming back was the best thing that could have happened to me."

We look into each others' eyes and I feel him looking right into my soul. My heart races and I feel that crazy desire rising up again, and now it's just barely boiling under the surface. I start to blush, somehow convinced that he can tell, just by looking at me, how much I want him. Just then, Sophie comes back out with a tote bag full of clothes slung over her shoulder.

"Mom, is it okay if I stay over at Karen and Andy's place tonight? We wanna have a girls night."

Lucas and I both smile warmly at the thought of Sophie spending some time with the Scott girls. Lucas tells her that he can see her and Lily getting along. She laughs and mentions that they realized they have a lot in common. Before we know it, Karen pulls up outside and Lily leaves for the night.

Oh, what the heck. I can't fight this anymore. I feel incredibly guilty for what just happened with Lindsey, and I know it's too soon, but I almost can't stop myself when I situate myself onto Lucas' lap and throw my arms around his neck. We're face to face as he puts his hand on the small of my back. We start to kiss slowly, and in between kisses he breaks away and looks at me.

"Thank you, by the way."

"Luke, don't thank me. When the nurses brought over that birth certificate for me to fill out, I didn't have to think twice about putting Scott down. She's a Scott. In more ways than you know." I laugh and think about Sophie's beautiful blue eyes, sweet Scott laugh, and amazing intellect and charm. He looks at me deeply before we kiss again. Pretty soon, he carries me over to his bedroom.

The rest of that night is a sensual, dreamlike, overwhelming blur. There's no other way to describe it. It's been sixteen years, but the feeling of Lucas' strong body on mine is still unbelievable. After a long and difficult few days, this just feels right. I finally feel safe, peaceful, protected. I'm finally comfortable in my own skin. Only now am I starting to realize how much of this I was missing in my sixteen years in New York. A huge part of me was just nonexistant, waiting for the touch of the man I love. No matter how much I tried to brush it off or run from it, there it was since the minute I left Tree Hill. Of course, Sophie filled a huge gap in me that I never even knew I had, and she completed me in every sense of the word. But this is different. And now that it's here, I never want to lose it again.

We lay in bed, wrapped up in the sheets and each others' arms, and I rest my head against Lucas' warm chest.

"I love you, Brooke Davis. I can't put into words how much. And I'm so glad to have you, and Sophie, in my life again. But Lindsey's been a big part of that life for a long time now. I can't just let her get away."

I don't say a word. I can't. What do you say to that? After making love with the man you're convinced is The One, isn't he supposed to whisper sweet nothings into your ear? Well, he's not supposed to talk about another woman, that's for sure. Ugh, shut up Brooke. You're being a selfish bitch again. He really cares about her, that much hasn't changed. Just because tonight was like, life-changingly good, doesn't mean he can just forget about her. Oh no, am I the other woman? No. I can't be. I refuse to be. But what about everything I was just feeling five minutes ago? The completion, the peace, the love. It's still there. I can't lose him again. I'm being selfish about it, damn it, and I don't care. As content and calm as he seemed with me tonight, at the same time he does seem pretty torn up over Lindsey too. And the Lucas Scott I know wouldn't watch someone he loves walk away without putting up a fight.

So where does that leave me?

**AN: I'm so sorry for the delay, as I said I'm super busy and updates will not come around as often as they used to. To make up for it, I gave you guys the Brucas you've all been waiting for! Oh and I promise some cute Scott Family time coming up too! Be sure to review! **


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